Letters To Yoshi
by BubblyShell22
Summary: Splinter writes letters to Yoshi chronicling his life as a mutated rat and single parent to four turtle sons.
1. Chapter 1

Letters To Yoshi

Chapter 1: Firsts

A/N: This plot bunny was lurking in my head for some time, but I had to put it on hold due to another story that required my attention. Then, when I finished my first chapter and was ready to put it up, I noticed a really good story called "April's Diary" by Connie Nervegas. I decided not to post this story for fear that people would think I had taken the idea from Connie and posted my own story up. So, I consulted with Connie via Stealthy Stories and told her about my idea. She said it was a good idea and gave me permission to put the story up. I hope that you all enjoy it, and I highly recommend Connie's story because it is very well-written.

This story is dedicated to Cynlee because no one writes Splinter like she can. Happy early birthday, Cyn! Here's your present!

Summary: Splinter writes letters to Yoshi chronicling his life as a mutated rat and single parent to four turtle sons.

Disclaimer: I don't own the TMNT or any characters related to them. They are the property of Nickelodeon Studios. I do own the plot of this story.

Additional Disclaimer (applies to FF readers only): If this chapter and any subsequent chapters I post appear in a different format other than the regular textual format, it's a glitch with Windows Vista. At least, that's my assumption, since none of this happened until I started posting my stuff on my laptop, which has Vista. So, if you have a hard time reading the story on FF, you can also read it at Mikey's TMNT and Stealthy Stories.

Dear Master Yoshi,

My sons have started walking upright for the first time. They are very fast learners. I wish that you were alive to see them and how much they have grown. The green substance that mutated us has had an interesting effect on all of us. My sons and I have grown very quickly, and we can now walk upright like the humans above us. I have learned to speak, read, and write by observing the humans on the surface world, by studying out of books I have found in the sewers and in garbage cans (Such a waste for humans to throw out these marvelous tools!), and by watching humans on the television I was able to acquire for my sons. They do not speak yet, but I feel that they are trying. I often hear them making noises that almost sound like speech.

I found a book about Renaissance artists in the sewers and have decided to name my sons after four of them. I think these names are very beautiful and will suit my sons well.

I saw a news report about a woman who went to jail for leaving her children alone in her apartment with no supervision. I fear that I would be sent to jail for letting my sons stay home alone. But I have no choice for there is no one to care for them. I do not leave them alone all the time, but I do go out for supplies while they take their nap. I have tried to leave them while they are awake, but they always have cried for me not to leave them.

I must find food for my sons as we are running low. I will leave as soon as they are asleep.

22222

Dear Master Yoshi,

My sons are now talking. I did not expect it to happen so soon, but it has. Perhaps this is another effect from the mutagen. Needless to say, my sons are getting more intelligent every day. I often wonder what they will do next.

Donatello was the first to speak. It all started when I took my sons for a walk in the sewers. I felt that if I lead them through the sewers they would be able to navigate their way by themselves without getting lost once they memorized the way. I did not want to tire them out too soon, so I decided that once they showed signs of not wanting to go further, I would let them rest and then take them home.

As we were walking, I pointed out certain sections of the sewers and warned them not to venture there. I knew I would have to keep telling them for I had a feeling they would not obey me all the time. As I was giving one of my explanations, I heard a voice say, "Splin-ter?" I turned to my sons in shock, not sure who had spoken. Then Donatello pointed to me and repeated, "Splin-ter?"

I was speechless at first because I could not believe what was happening. But as my son repeated my name, I replied, "Yes, Donatello, I am Splinter." He smiled, pleased at what he did and turned to his brothers. He pointed to me again and said, "Splin-ter." His brothers did not respond, which startled me. I had a feeling they would not progress at the same time, though that is what I hoped for at first.

A few days later, I was watching the news on television. My sons were playing with some toys I had procured while on the surface. Leonardo decided to stop playing and came over to me. He looked at me and said, "Hi."

Once again, I was shocked at what Leonardo said, but I quickly got over that and responded, "Hello, Leonardo, would you like to join me?"

He nodded, and I lifted him to my lap. I turned the channel, for I did not want him to see the horrible story that was on. He cuddled into my lap and watched the cartoon show with me, laughing whenever something funny happened. His brothers saw what we were watching and joined us.

Raphael was the next one to find his voice. I was serving them their lunch and presented them with some broccoli. Leonardo and Donatello were curious and decided to try it out. Michelangelo was a bit reluctant but followed his brothers' lead. I could tell they were not fond of the food, but they did not want to hurt my feelings and pretended to enjoy it.

When I set a portion down in front of Raphael, he gave me a questioning look. I urged him to eat it, explaining that it would help him grow. He took his fork, speared a piece onto it, put it in his mouth, and began to chew it.

"What do you think, Raphael?" I asked him.

He spit out the piece of broccoli and said, "Yuck!"

"But, Raphael, it is good for you," I told him. "You need to eat it to grow big and strong."

"Yuck!' he repeated and refused to eat another bite. I decided not to force him because I knew he would argue with me.

Each day, three of my sons would learn more words, but Michelangelo still did not speak. I was worried that he would never speak, but then he surprised me. I had just come out of my room to check on them when Michelangelo walked up to me and tugged on my kimono. I asked if he wanted a piggyback ride, and he eagerly nodded. I let him climb on my back and began walking around the Lair, bouncing him as I did so. He shrieked with laughter which was normal for him to do. But then he suddenly shouted, "Cowabunga!" I smiled happily, for I knew that finally my son was able to talk. Now, they have all caught up to each other. I am so proud of them.

22222

Dear Master Yoshi,

Donatello saw me writing and was very curious. He cam over, pointed to my journal, and asked, "What?" I explained to him that I was writing down my thoughts and feelings. He seemed intrigued by this and pointed to my journal again.

"I wite, too?" he asked me.

"No, you may not write in this journal," I responded. "But I can teach you to write so you may have a journal of your own. Would you like that?"

"Yeah," Donatello said. His eyes were filled with curiosity and excitement at the prospect of learning how to write.

I must find some sort of educational book to teach my sons their letters and numbers. Perhaps I will find one when I go out today.

22222

Dear Master Yoshi,

I was able to find a wonderful book on teaching my sons their letters and numbers. In fact, I have found quite a few books that will aid me in my quest to educate my sons. After perusing the first book I acquired, I decided to teach my sons their alphabet. I gathered them before me and began to explain the importance of knowing the letters and numbers. Then I taught them how to write big A and little a while matching a picture to the sound. Their attempts were fairly good, but Michelangelo had his big A on a slant. Raphael did not want to do this, but I told him that he was going to learn it whether he liked it or not in my best stern voice. He was quiet after that and began to learn his letters like everyone else.

I feel that it will take time for my sons to learn these things, but I will do my best to teach them all I can.

22222

Dear Master Yoshi,

My sons are making a lot of progress on their letters and numbers. They have learned up to K on their letters and the number twelve on their numbers. Donatello can even count to twelve in French. He learned this from watching Sesame Street on the Canadian channel on television. Quite extraordinary! I feel that he will surpass his brothers in knowledge rather quickly.

22222

Dear Master Yoshi,

I have decided we need to move to a bigger home. This burrow will no longer hold us. My sons are far too cramped due to being so big now. I will have to search for a new home soon.

22222

Dear Master Yoshi,

The search for our new home had to be put on hold. As I was on the surface, I ran into a man who claimed to know you and introduced himself as Mr. Mortu. I wanted to know how he knew of you and of me. He said that you were a Guardian with the Utroms and that he had your ashes to give to me. He remembered me as your pet rat and knew that I was living in the sewers. I asked how he knew such a thing, but he said he could not explain just yet. He presented me with your ashes and said that I could have them now. I thanked him and took your ashes to my burrow. My sons were curious about it, but I did not want to tell them anything of your demise. Instead, I told tem that it was a gift for someone else and they were not to touch it. They nodded and never once came close to your ashes.

I know that I will have to eventually tell them what happened to you, but they are far too young to know of that tragedy. I do not want them to grow up with hatred in their hearts. So I will keep it from them as long as I can. They may be mad at me for doing so, but I am trying to protect them.

22222

Dear Master Yoshi,

We made it to Japan to bury your remains beside Tang Shen. The Ancient One was very surprised by our appearance and was saddened to hear of your death. After I explained to him how my sons and I came to be, we buried your remains beside your beloved Tang Shen. Then we talked outside while my sons played in the yard.

Suddenly, Raphael came over and declared that he saw a ghost. I was a bit confused until the others started claiming they could see it, too. I asked where it was, and they pointed to a bush. I looked at it carefully but saw nothing. I figured that this was just a case of an imagination running away and paid it no mind. But this was not the end of the matter.

That night, I put my sons to bed and had some tea with the Ancient One. We were interrupted by my sons bursting out of their room, screaming in terror. I hurried to their side and comforted them. I figured they were not used to sleeping alone, so I decided to stay with them.

The next morning we were ready to go home when my sons claimed they saw the ghost again. They said that he was following the Ancient One as he was leaving us. I still did not see anything, but I did sense a presence and felt it would be wise to make sure that no harm befell the Ancient One. We followed him, and I explained what my sons had seen. Then they spotted the ghost going into a different building, so we headed that way. At first, nothing looked out of place, but then the Ancient One and I were grabbed from behind. We tried to fight, but it was no use. I could hear my sons crying and fear and longed to comfort them, but I could not even breathe because of the tight hold the creature had on me.

Then my sons began to throw rocks in an attempt to have the phantom release us. Donatello hurled a rock and managed to hit a certain point, forcing the phantom to reveal itself. The Ancient One and I saw it was a bone demon, and we knew we had to defeat it. After the demon released us, we began to fight it. The demon put up a good fight, but it was no match for us. My sons cheered as we defeated the demon.

The Ninja Tribunal appeared and assessed what had occurred. They decided that my sons would be fine warriors one day but felt that my sons should not know about what transpired. They performed a ritual that modified my sons' memories and gave them a very dazed look. I was not happy about it, but I knew I could not overrule the Tribunal. Then they opened up a portal that led to my burrow. Before we left, the Ancient One gave my sons ninja masks as a gift. Now it is easier to tell them apart. Leonardo wears blue, Raphael wears red, Donatello wears purple, and Michelangelo wears orange.

I have decided that it is time for me to train them in the art of ninjitsu. I feel that I cannot put it off any longer, for I know that eventually they will be exposed to the outside world and the dangers that inhabit it. If they are prepared, it will be easier for them to face it.

To be continued….

A/N: So, the first chapter is done. I hope I wrote Splinter well enough. I tried to remember everything that happened in "Fathers and Sons" from my own head, but I might have messed up on that. My bad. And as for the Turtles' first words, I just think that with the mutation, it affected their speech and they could say words most human babies couldn't. Feel free to leave a review and have a shell-tastic day!


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2: Ninjas In Training

A/N: Wow. I can't believe I'm posting the second chapter already! I'm getting ideas for this pretty quickly. Thanks a million to those who have read and reviewed this story so far. There will be a bit of a time jump in this chapter because the Turtles can't stay little forever. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: Don't own them. They're owned by Nickelodeon Studios.

Dear Master Yoshi,

I started my sons' training today, and I feel that this is going to take a lot of time. I asked them to come to the dojo and first showed them how to respect the dojo by bowing before entering. They were confused at first but did as I asked. Then I had them sit down and explained that I was going to start training them in the art of ninjitsu.

Michelangelo's eyes lit up. "We get to be ninjas like those guys I saw on TV?" he asked excitedly.

"That was just a show, Mikey," Donatello pointed out. "They weren't real ninjas."

"Yes, you will be trained as ninjas like those men on television, Michelangelo," I replied. "However, I do not want to see you using these moves on each other outside of the dojo. Is that understood?"

"Yes, Father," answered my sons.

"Good," I said. "Now, while we are in the dojo you are to address me as Master Splinter or Sensei as a show of respect, for I am your teacher and a master of ninjitsu. It is essential that there be respect between teacher and student. Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes, Sensei," said my sons.

"Very good," I praised them. "Now, we will begin with some meditation exercises. A true ninja is one who is able to focus without any distractions. When you meditate, you allow your mind to flow freely and abolish any thoughts you may have."

"What's abolish mean?" asked Donatello.

"It means to get rid of something," I explained. "What I mean is that you use meditation to get rid of any thoughts that could be a distraction, thus allowing yourself to have complete focus."

"So, if we have complete focus, we'll be true ninjas?" inquired Leonardo.

"You will be one step closer to that goal," I answered. "It will take time before you become a true ninja. We will begin our meditation by sitting in the lotus position." I sat down and demonstrated for them. "Now, you try."

My sons sat and tried to imitate me. Michelangelo kept falling over, which discouraged him. I told him to do the best he could and that he would be able to do it with practice. Then I instructed them to close their eyes and concentrate on their breathing. I explained that if they concentrated on their breathing they would be able to banish their thoughts. As soon as they closed their eyes, I closed mine and began the session. Everything seemed fine until I heard snoring. I opened my eyes and saw that Raphael had fallen asleep. I went over to him and shook him awake.

"Raphael, please wake up," I urged him.

He opened his eyes and looked around. "What happened?" he asked.

"You fell asleep," I told him.

"Yeah, you slept when you were supposed to be meditating," Leonardo chastised.

"Leonardo, enough!" I scolded him. "It is not your place to reprimand him."

Raphael was ashamed and began to cry. "I'm sorry, Sensei!" he sobbed. "I didn't mean to fall asleep. It was an accident!"

"Do not cry, my son," I said as I embraced him. "It is all right. Once you practice enough, you will be able to master it. It will just take time."

Next I decided to teach them some basic katas, thinking that it would keep them awake. I first demonstrated a basic punching motion with each arm and asked them to follow my lead. They did as they were told, though they did have a bit of trouble at first. I had to correct their stances a few times, but they improved after I did so. I also taught them a few basic kicks as well. Michelangelo had a bit of trouble because he fell over a few times. I told him not to lean too far while performing the kicks.

At the end of the session, I praised them for their work and cautioned them not to use these moves outside the dojo. They promised me they would listen. Then I instructed them that at the end of the lesson, they were to bow to me as a sign of respect and gratitude. They did so, and I bowed back. I then dismissed them from the dojo.

Sometimes I have misgivings about teaching my sons. Is it right for me to train them to avenge your death? Perhaps I should be the one to carry out that deed. But if I should die, what will happen to my sons? I suppose I should wait until they are older to carry out that wish. I cannot leave them without a father now.

22222

Dear Master Yoshi,

My sons are doing very well in their training. I can tell that they all have very different opinions concerning their training and their progress. Leonardo is the one who learns the fastest, but when he gets a move wrong, he gets upset after I correct him. He has even taken to coming to the dojo during his free time to perfect his katas. I suppose I need to talk to him about this.

Raphael tend to attempt to do the moves as well as Leonardo does them. I believe he is trying to prove that he is better than his brother. I hope that this does not cause a bitter rivalry between them or cause them to hate each one another.

Donatello performs the katas, but I feel that his heart is not in it. I know he wants to please me, yet I feel that he does not want to fight others. I do not want to call attention to this just yet, but I talk to him if he is feeling troubled by the prospect of fighting.

Michelangelo loves to joke around during practice. He tells jokes, pushes his brothers around in an attempt to throw them off balance during katas, and fidgets and makes noises during meditation to make his brothers laugh. I do not think he is a bad student because he does the exercises well. I just wish he would behave more and take things seriously.

I have just heard a crash in the living room. Please excuse me while I see what is wrong.

I have just resolved the conflict. It seems Raphael was mad at Michelangelo for stealing one of his blocks, so he decided to use one of the moves I just taught them on his brother. Michelangelo retaliated by biting Raphael on the arm. I was able to intervene and sent them separate rooms. I am going to have them do flips for disobeying me.

22222

Dear Master Yoshi,

Both Michelangelo and Raphael have completed their punishment and have apologized for what they have done. I accepted their apologies and warned them never to fight each other again. I explained to them that hurting each other is not the right thing to do.

"You are brothers," I reminded them. "Never forget that you must love each other and protect each other from harm. We are a family and must act like one. When you decide to harm one another, you are also harming the other members of your family."

"How?" Raphael asked.

"You hurt them inside," I answered.

"So, if I bite Raph, you get hurt, too?" Michelangelo inquired.

"Yes, my son," I replied. "That is why you must promise me you will never hurt each other again. Do you promise?"

"Yes, Sensei," they both answered. I could tell Raphael was a bit reluctant to promise me, but he did. I truly hope they will keep this promise. I want my sons to honor the importance of family, for they must realize that they only have each other and their father. I do not want them to hate each other like Mashimi hated you. It would break my heart if that happened. I must make sure my sons get along with one another and cherish each other.

22222

Dear Master Yoshi,

My sons celebrated their fifteenth birthday today. I am so proud of how far they have come. And yet, I often wish they would stay young forever, so that I could hold them and give them hugs as I used to do. I know I cannot stop them from growing up, but I do hope they will never forget their father.

Leonardo is a great older brother. He is very protective of the others and always tries to maintain order. I do not want to put so much responsibility on him at such a young age, but he will be a great leader among his brothers, and that is what I am going to appoint him as.

Raphael often clashes with Leonardo on some things. I think he is jealous of his brother's talents in the dojo. He also has a bit of a temper when things do not go his way. I fear that he will let his anger get the best of him one day.

Donatello has become very intelligent. He enjoys building and inventing things out of parts he gets from the junkyard. He also reads many books and even learning medical knowledge in case any of his brothers get injured. I feel that he could be a doctor or a scientist if he were human.

Michelangelo has become very creative. He draws pictures and has even written a few stories he has only shared with me. I think he writes very well and has a great talent. He is a good cook and often prepares our meals. I often look forward to eating when he makes the meal. Some of his concoctions are a bit different, but I am always willing to try something new. I think the only thing that sometimes bothers me is when Michelangelo pulls pranks on his brothers. I do hope he will stop this behavior soon.

22222

Dear Master Yoshi,

My sons had their first battle today.

It all started after our Lair was destroyed by these robots called Mousers. During our attempt to get rid of them, our ceiling collapsed, causing me to be separated from my sons. They contacted me via the Shell Cells that Donatello invented, and we made plans to meet at the drainage junction.

My sons had to go to the surface to get to the other manhole. They encountered a group of Purple Dragons and engaged them in a fight. My sons were victorious, but the fighting was not finished as they encountered a group of mysterious ninjas. I asked my sons about them, but all Leonardo said was, "They were dressed in black with some sort of symbol on their chests. I couldn't make it out." I am a bit worried about this, but there is nothing I can do at the moment. I have warned my sons to be careful around these ninjas. I only hope that the one who killed you does not come back to harm my family.

But for now, the good news is that we have a new home and we are together. That is the best thing right now. My sons have survived their first battle, and I hope that they survive more of them. It will be up to me to make sure they do not fall.

To be continued….

A/N: And the second chapter is done. Sorry if it seems kind of short. I did the best I could with the length. Feel free to leave a review, and have a shell-tastic day!


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3: Friends

A/N: In this chapter I'm going to introduce an original character I've had in my head for some time. She'll not only be in this story but also in a few one-shots and maybe another multi chapter story. I hope you enjoy this chapter and my character.

Disclaimer: We all know I don't own them. I only own the plot of the story and Reika Okiri.

Dear Master Yoshi,

I have often warned my sons about the dangers of humans discovering our secret. I do this to remind them that humans would not understand who we are and would likely take us to some laboratory to study us. I know that not all humans are cruel, but we cannot take the chance of trusting someone who could betray us.

There was one human I encountered who was very kind to me. I met her one day when I was searching for food for my sons. I was walking to one of the grocery stores to see if I could buy some food, but I was afraid the humans would discover what I was. So I decided to see if there was a more discreet way to find some food. I looked at one of the trash receptacles, but I knew I could not get food there. That would be unsanitary for my sons.

"Are you hungry?" I heard a voice ask. I turned to see a woman standing by a bench. She had black hair down to her shoulders and brown eyes. She had a Japanese accent, though her English was very good.

"I am trying to find some food for my sons," I replied. I felt it would have been terrible for me to lie about my intentions.

"You are thinking of getting some food from the trash?" she asked incredulously.

"No, I was not," I said. "I was just drifting off for a bit. I am going to go into the grocery store to get some food."

"Oh, I see," said the woman. "Well, when you are done would you like to have a cup of tea with me? I would like to get to know you."

"I am sorry, Miss, but I must hurry home to my sons," I responded. "We have not been acquainted enough for me to have tea with you right away. I mean no offense, but I do not even know your name."

"My name is Reika," replied the woman. "Reika Okiri."

"My name is Hamato Yoshi," I told her.

She smiled. "Well, now that we are acquainted, would like to join me for some tea?" she asked again.

"I am sorry, but I must go home to my sons," I told her. "Perhaps we could do so another time."

"Yes, perhaps," Reika said. "It was nice meeting you, Yoshi. I will see you again I hope."

I watched her leave and felt horrible. At that moment, I wished I was human like her so I could enjoy the company of someone else. I was afraid Reika would hold a grudge against me for the way I treated her, but that never happened. In fact, she became a good friend to me.

Every day after that, I continued to see Reika at the same bench by the grocery store. She always greeted me warmly and would strike up a conversation with me. I would talk to her as long as I could and then politely end the conversation so I could get my supplies and get home to my sons. Reika was never offended by this and often sent her regards to my sons. I felt good about that though I never told my sons about her.

I learned that Reika did not have a husband or any children of her own. She often asked me about my sons and what they were like. I told her some things about them though I made sure not to reveal that we were all mutants. She wanted to visit my home and see my sons for herself, but I told her that would not be wise. I explained that we lived in an unsafe neighborhood. I did not like lying to her, but I was unsure about whether I could really trust her just yet. She understood my reason without any doubt and wished me well.

I have not seen her since and often wonder what has happened to her. Is she still in New York, or has she moved away? Is she still alive, or is she buried within a cemetery? I am sure I will never know, but I will always remember her and miss her. I wish we could have had that cup of tea.

22222

Dear Master Yoshi,

My sons brought home a human today. They told me the young woman was being chased by the Mousers when my sons rescued her. It was a risky thing for them to do, but I know they could not leave her to the mercy of the Mousers. They laid her on the couch and explained the situation to me. I agreed that it was a good thing they were there and allowed the young woman to stay.

When she awoke, she was quite alarmed and thought she was having a dream. Michelangelo tried his best to make her feel better, but she fainted again. Raphael wanted to try to bring her back, but I prevented that before he could hurt her.

She regained consciousness and decided that she was not having a dream after all. Leonardo made her some tea while Raphael told Michelangelo that she was awake. After she had her tea, I told Miss O'Neil that it was important that she not tell anyone about us. She promised she would not tell anyone of our existence. I looked into her eyes and saw that she was telling the truth. Leonardo asked me if this was a lesson on sensing the truth.

"No, this is called trusting your gut," I replied.

I told Miss O'Neil about our origin, and she told us about the Mousers and how they had been created by Baxter Stockman. We saw a news report showing the Mousers robbing a bank. My sons and Miss O'Neil decided they needed to go and stop this man from creating more chaos. I warned them to be careful, and they assured me they would.

22222

Dear Master Yoshi,

My sons and Miss O'Neil came back from their mission, happy with their success. I asked Miss O'Neil what she planned to do now, and she said she was not sure. Donatello assured her that we would help to get her back on her feet. I could tell my sons wanted to help her in any way they could.

I was happy that Miss O'Neil would keep her word. I have a feeling she will be a good and loyal friend to all of us.

22222

Dear Master Yoshi,

Miss O'Neil visited the Lair today. My sons were out on patrol in the sewers when she came, but she did not want to leave.

"My sons may not be back for a few hours," I told her.

"I know," she replied. "I came to visit you and keep you company. I know you're often left alone when they leave."

"I appreciate your sincerity," I answered. "Thank you."

"No problem," she said. "I noticed something when you first met me. Your sons seemed awkward when they talked to me. Well, except for Mikey. He seemed pretty happy to see me."

I chuckled. "Yes, he is a bit exuberant at times," I told her. "I think he was excited at the prospect of seeing a human up close for the first time."

"Yeah, I guess so," she replied. "Anyway, you looked fairly relaxed around me. Why is that? Have you met humans before?"

"Yes, I have," I responded and told her about Reika. When I was finished I could tell she was surprised by my encounter.

"Do the guys know about this?" she inquired.

"No, they do not," I said. "I did not feel it was right to tell them about it."

"Well, they deserve to know," she said. "Maybe once they hear about your encounter, they won't be so nervous around me or other humans they might meet."

"I suppose you are right," I conceded. "I will tell them tomorrow. I do not want to trouble them with such news tonight."

"Fair enough," she replied. "I just don't like the idea of a father keeping secrets from his sons."

She stayed until my sons came home then went back to her apartment after having dinner with us. She mentioned that she was going to reopen her father's antique shop and see if that would bring her some business. We all wished her good luck in her endeavors as she left us to go home.

22222

Dear Master Yoshi,

I finally told my sons about Reika. They were surprised that I had kept my encounter a secret, but they were glad I confessed to it. I told them about the few times I talked to her and how she always wanted to have tea with me.

"Sensei, you had your first crush," Michelangelo said. "That's so cool!"

"I think Reika had a crush on Master Splinter, Mikey," Leonardo argued. "He didn't feel that way about her."

"How do you know, Leo?" Raphael replied. "Maybe he did feel that way." He turned to me. "Did you have the hots for her, Sensei?"

"I did think she was nice, but I was not attracted to her romantically," I responded. "Such things do not happen right away."

"You're right, Master Splinter," Donatello said. "These things take time. Maybe I could run a search on the Internet and see if she's still around."

"No, you do not have to do that, my son," I said. "It does not matter anymore."

"How can you say that?" Michelangelo cried. "This is a chance for you to find true love! You should go for it."

"I do not want to do that, my son," I told him. "We would not be able to be together anyway because of my appearance. Please, let us not speak of this anymore."

I could tell they did not want to let this go, but they knew they could not argue with me when I used that tone of voice. They said, "Yes, Sensei," and went to their rooms to sleep.

I have a feeling they will not let the matter go until I meet Reika again. They will more than likely concoct a scheme to get me to see her again. Those sons of mine can be very sneaky.

22222

Dear Master Yoshi,

Raphael almost hit Michelangelo with a pipe today. The two of them were sparring when Michelangelo won. He began bragging about it, which made Raphael angry. My temperamental son located a pipe and started toward Michelangelo. Luckily, Leonardo saw what was about to happen and stopped it. Raphael's anger faded as he realized what he almost did. I lectured to him about his anger and that he must learn to control it. Then he left to get some air. Michelangelo wanted to go after him, but I stopped him from doing so because I felt that Raphael needed time to himself.

While we waited for him to come home, I had a practice session with Leonardo. It was hard to concentrate because Michelangelo was persuading Donatello to make some sort of vehicle. I told them to be quiet and that they should be practicing as well. I instructed Leonardo to do a split kick. He tried to but was not successful. He let out a frustrated sigh at his failed attempt, and I reassured him that it would come with time.

After some more pleading, Donatello gave in and built the vehicle for Michelangelo and called it the Battle Shell. Unfortunately, he decided to test it in the Lair rather than outside, which was a disaster. I told him that while his vehicle was a good thing I did not want it tested inside the Lair again.

Raphael came back and apologized to his brother for lashing out. Then he told us about the young man he met and that he was in some sort of trouble. My sons decided to go help him. Once again, I warned them to be careful. I truly hoped they knew what they were doing.

Luckily, they returned home with a new ally in their group of friends, which consisted of Miss O'Neil and now Mr. Jones. I just hope Mr. Jones will be as discreet as Miss O'Neil about revealing our secret.

22222

Dear Master Yoshi,

Mr. Jones came to the Lair today to visit. I must say that he is very different from Miss O'Neil. He can e quite loud and vocal in his opinions and has a temper much like Raphael's. Perhaps that is why the two get along so well.

Anyway, he came to tell my sons about some unusual graffiti that was in the city. Raphael decided to join him in the investigation while my other sons continued with the practice session. I was not happy that Raphael left, but I knew it was better for Mr. Jones to have someone to aid him in case there was trouble.

Soon, Mr. Jones came back and reported that some invisible ninjas had taken Raphael. My sons hurried to find their brother. I was very worried until they returned home. Raphael was with them, and he seemed to be fine, which made me feel better.

22222

Dear Master Yoshi,

Raphael has become better at controlling his temper since the incident. He even makes an effort to be nicer to Michelangelo. I think he feels guilty about what he did and is trying to make up for it. Yesterday he offered to do the cooking so that Michelangelo would not have to. My youngest son tried to decline, but Raphael was insistent, so Michelangelo gave in. We tried to enjoy the meal, but it did not taste very good. Raphael is just not an experience cook. We did not want to hurt his feelings so we pretended that it was a good meal. I think Raphael saw through our charade, but he thanked us anyway.

That afternoon I had tea in my room. Leonardo joined me for this ritual since he enjoys tea so much. None of the others really like it, but they sometimes have to drink it when I give them medicine. Donatello prefers coffee while Michelangelo and Raphael drink soda. I have often tried to get them to like tea, but they will not relent. I suppose it is true that you cannot teach an old dog new tricks.

Leonardo smiled as I poured the tea and gave him a cup. "Arigato, Sensei," he said.

"You are welcome, my son," I replied.

"I perfected my split kick yesterday," Leonardo told me.

"Very good, Leonardo," I praised him. "I had a feeling it would come to you soon. Now we can progress to other lessons in your training."

"I look forward to it, Master," he said. Then he hesitated as though he wanted to say something but was afraid to.

"Is something on your mind, Leonardo?" I prompted him.

"Yes, I was thinking about the meal today," began Leonardo. "I think we may have hurt Raph's feelings by pretending to enjoy the meal."

"Yes, I suppose you are right," I said.

"So, what should we do?" he asked.

"Just try to be polite to him," I answered. "Do not tease him about what happened. I will speak to him myself a bit later."

"I'll do that, Sensei," said Leonardo.

We spent the rest of the time discussing the latest episode of "Hearts and Souls." Leonardo predicted that Miguel would find out that he is the father of Anita's baby in the next episode. I disagreed and said that it would happen a bit later than that to build up the suspense.

When Leonardo left my room, I heard Raphael ask, "Been having a good laugh in there about my cooking?"

"Not at all, Raph," Leonardo replied. "I just told Sensei that I perfect my split kick, and he said I could progress to another lesson."

"That's it?" Raphael asked skeptically.

"And we discussed what happened on Sensei's soap opera," answered Leonardo.

"Yeah, right, Leo," scoffed Raphael. "You don't have to lie. I know you two were laughing at me behind my back. I can see it in your eyes."

"Raph, we wouldn't do that to you," insisted Leonardo.

"Shove it, Leo!" snapped Raphael. He stormed up to his room and slammed the door.

I sighed and decided the time had come for me to speak with him. I exited my room and went upstairs. Loud music was issuing from Raphael's room, but I knocked anyway. He wrenched the door open and stopped when he saw it was me.

"May I come in, Raphael?" I asked him.

"Oh, sure, Sensei," he replied and backed up so I could enter. He went to his radio and turned the music down so we could talk.

"I heard your argument with Leonardo," I told him. "I assure you that we were not laughing at you about your cooking."

"But you talked about it, didn't you?" he asked.

"Yes, we did," I answered. "Leonardo was very concerned about your feelings and wanted to know what he could do. I told him to be nice to you and to not tease you about your cooking."

"Oh, I get it," said Raphael. "You told him to be nice to me and say that my cooking was good. Fat chance! We all know my cooking sucks."

"Raphael, do not use such language in front of me," I chastised. "Yes, your cooking may not be the best, but you still did a good thing by doing a favor for Michelangelo. Your heart was in the right place, and that is what matters. I am proud of you, my son."

He smiled at my words and said, "Thanks, Sensei." Then we embraced. He let go quickly so as not to be caught in a tender moment by the others, but the talk we had changed him. He asked Michelangelo for advice on how to be a good cook, and Michelangelo said he would teach Raphael. That made him feel better about everything. I am so glad I have such kind sons.

To be continued….

A/N: So, what did you think? Did you like it, or could it have been better? I'm not sure when the next chapter will be up. I'm working on it, but I also have another plot bunny that is biting at me, and I'm going to work on that as well. Feel free to leave a review and have a shell-tastic day!


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4: Father Knows Best

A/N: Here's the next chapter. I can't believe how fast I'm getting this out. Thanks to those who have read and reviewed thus far. It means a lot to me. I want to let you know that I'm not going to recap every episode of the TMNT cartoon in this story because I don't want it to get too monotonous. Plus, there are some episodes I simply didn't like so I'm not going to spend time on them. I hope you enjoy this chapter.

Disclaimer: Don't own them. I only own the plot and Reika, though she's only mentioned in this chapter and not shown.

Dear Master Yoshi,

I decided to have a talk with Donatello about Miss O'Neil. This was prompted by the observation that he spent a lot of time at her home. I also made my decision based on comments his brothers made to him when he went to her home.

"Oooh, Don's going to see his girlfriend," Michelangelo teased.

"Hey, Don, you get to second base yet?" Raphael asked him.

"Raph, he hasn't even kissed her yet," Leonardo said. "You have to do that before you get to second base."

I found Donatello in his lab working on some invention. I asked if he would like to speak with me. He nodded and followed me to my room. As we were going there, I heard Michelangelo whisper, "Uh-oh, Don's in trouble." I responded by saying, "Michelangelo, you will do ten flips in the dojo. Leonardo, you will supervise him." Both nodded and left to go to the dojo.

Donatello was a bit confused as he entered my room. "Am I in trouble, Sensei?" he asked.

"No, but I do need to speak with you," I answered. "I have noticed that you are spending a lot of time with Miss O'Neil lately and the comments your brothers have been making because of it."

Donatello laughed. "Oh, that," he said. "I'm not worried about them. They're just being themselves."

"You do not have any romantic feelings for Miss O'Neil?" I asked him.

"No, I don't," he answered. "She's more like a sister to me. Besides, we couldn't be together anyway. She's a human, and I'm not. It just wouldn't work."

I sighed in relief. "I am glad to hear that, my son," I said. "It is good to know that you realize that you cannot have a relationship with her."

"Did one of the guys say something to you?" Donatello asked me.

"No, I just noticed their comments," I told him. "I wanted to make sure you were not in love with her."

"Well, I'm not," Donatello reassured me. "You don't have to worry anymore."

"I am relieved," I replied. "You may return to your invention. I must make sure Michelangelo has done his flips. He is known for sneaking out and not doing all of them."

"Yeah, you're right," Donatello laughed "Um, Sensei, can I ask you something?"

"Yes, you may," I responded.

"Have you ever thought about one day falling in love with Reika?" he asked. "I know it doesn't happen overnight, but I just wondered if you ever dreamed of that."

"I have at times," I told him. "But I know she would never return the feeling because of who I am."

"But what if that didn't matter to her?" Donatello prodded. "What if she chose to love you for you?"

"Then perhaps it would be reasonable," I replied. "But that is wishful thinking on your part. Such a thing will not happen." I raised an eyebrow. "Are you sure you do not have feelings for Miss O'Neil?"

"I'm sure, but I have thought about it at times," he said. "Mainly as a scientific study. I just thought that if one of us was attracted to her she'd return the feeling regardless of who we are. She's learned to accept us as her friends. Who's to say Reika wouldn't do the same thing?"

I sighed. It was clear he was not going to let this go. "You may be right, Donatello, but there is no way to know," I said. "I would like for you to not discuss this matter any longer. Such a union cannot be possible."

"Okay, Sensei, I'll let it go," Donatello said. "I'm sorry if I upset you."

"It is alright, my son," I told him. "I know you want to see your father happy. But you need to know that I do not need a mate to be happy. I am already happy because I have four sons who make me so proud. Family is what makes me happy."

"Thank you, Master Splinter," said Donatello. "That means a lot to me."

That night, Miss O'Neil came over to watch a movie with my sons. After it was over, she asked to speak with me in my room. I granted her request though I was unsure about why she wanted to do this.

"Master Splinter, Don told me about your concerns," she began. "I want to assure you that I don't have any romantic feelings toward Don. He's like a brother to me. I only have a sister, and I feel like your sons are the brothers I never had."

"I understand, Miss O'Neil," I responded. "Thank you for coming to me. I am not worried about that any longer. I am happy that you are a good friend to my sons and to me."

"I'm glad you think so, Master Splinter," said Miss O'Neil. "I enjoy being around you guys, and I'll never tell anyone about you."

"I know that," I told her. "I am glad that you will keep our existence a secret."

"It's my pleasure," she said. "I'm getting groceries tomorrow. Is there anything I can get you guys?"

"You do not have to get us anything," I replied.

"I know I don't, but I want to," Miss O'Neil said. "It's the least I can do."

I suppose I can make a list," I relented. "The only thing I need is some more tea. I am sure my sons want more things."

We went out to the living room to ask my sons what they needed. Donatello wanted more coffee, Raphael wanted some more soda, Leonardo asked for some cereal, and Michelangelo requested some candy. Miss O'Neil wrote it all down and promised to get the items as well as some other things she thought we needed by looking in our kitchen. We thanked her for her generosity. She is a good asset to our family.

22222

Dear Master Yoshi,

Miss O'Neil came over with our groceries. She was worried she did not have all the items, but we assured her everything was there. That made her feel better, and she began to unload the groceries.

"I ran into Reika today," Miss O'Neil reported. "I saw her on the bench outside the grocery store just like you said, Master Splinter. She started talking to me and mentioned you. She said she really wanted to talk to you and have tea with you."

"What did you say?" Michelangelo asked.

"I told her I was a friend and would pass on the message."

"I am glad you talked to her, Miss O'Neil, but I cannot do as she asks," I told her. "It is just not possible. I have discussed this with my sons already."

"Maybe you should just meet her," Leonardo suggested. "It can't hurt."

"Leonardo, how many times have I told you about the importance of our secrecy?" I reminded him.

"Many times," Leonardo replied. "But you wouldn't have to reveal yourself. You would be disguised, just like when you go out and scavenge for us."

"I suppose I could meet her for a little bit," I relented. "But I wish to do so when I feel I am ready. I do not want to rush things."

"That sounds fine," Miss O'Neil said. "Just take your time with it."

I was not ready to meet her yet, but I knew that with time, I would be able to talk to her and get to know her more. All I had to do was try my best and see what fate would have in store for me.

22222

Dear Master Yoshi,

Raphael came home from a trip to the surface in a temper. I could hear him muttering angrily to himself as he entered. Curious, I came out of my room and invited him to join me and tell me about the trouble. He did so and sat down across from me.

"What is the trouble, my son?" I asked him.

"It's the humans, Master!" he replied. "Every time I save someone, they either run away in terror or call me a freak. I'm sick of it!" He thumped his fist into his palm to make his anger clear. "Just once I'd like to have one human act like April and Casey."

I sighed. "I feel your pain, Raphael," I told him. "The humans above do not like those who are different. They even ridicule their own kind for being different. Just the other day I saw a news report about a teenager who assaulted girl who wore glasses. Humans can be cruel to everyone."

"But why?" asked Raphael. "Why do they make fun of people who are different? Why don't they just treat people the same?"

"I think it is because they fear change," I replied. "They do not want things to be different and are happy with the way things are."

"That's stupid," he responded. "People need to accept change and get with the program."

"I agree, my son," I said. "The best we can do is be as kind as we can be to others. Maybe then people will not judge us too harshly and will see that we can do some good in this world."

"I guess you're right," said Raphael. "There's nothing else we can do. Thanks for talking to me, Sensei."

"You are quite welcome, my son," I said. "And thank you for opening up to me."

"No problem," said Raphael. "See you in the morning, Master Splinter."

"Goodnight, Raphael," I said. I watched him walk out, feeling differently than he had before. I could tell he was not happy about what had happened, but he was resigned to the fact that it was always going to happen. The human mind can be extraordinary and complex. What makes me feel better is that my sons and I have two human friends who treat us the same as themselves. They are able to see beyond our appearance, and that means a lot to me.

22222

Dear Master Yoshi,

I have finally revealed to my sons about your death. It was not easy to tell them this, but I knew it had to be done. I also am glad to report that your death has been avenged. Words cannot describe how happy I am that the one who murdered you has paid the price for his crime. Now, I can have peace of mind.

It all started when my sons were sparring and discussing who had the best weapon. I came in just as Leonardo won the match. I congratulated him and asked him if he knew why he won the match. He replied that he had the superior weapon and quoted Musashi. I told him that many things are said but few are true. He was surprised by that information.

I ordered him to attack me with his katana. He was hesitant, so I ordered him again. He attacked, but I caught his sword with my hands. Shock filled my sons' faces as they saw me do this. Then I ordered Leonardo to attack me with both katanas. He did so, but I blocked his strikes with my walking stick. After knocking the swords from his hands, I told him that in the hands of a true ninja, anything can be a deadly weapon. He was humiliated by my lecture and left to sort some things out. The others went out for their patrol, but I knew they would follow their brother.

When they arrived home, Leonardo was carrying a sword with a black cloth on it. I examined the cloth and recognized the symbol of the Foot Clan. I explained to my sons about the symbol and told them the story of your death. Once I revealed that it was Oroku Saki who had killed you, I could tell that Leonardo felt foolish for believing Saki's words. He then declared that they were going to give him an answer.

I retreated to my room to meditate about all of this. Once I had the answer I was looking for, I went to tell my sons, but they had left. This worried me, for I knew they had gone to face the Shredder. I had a feeling they would need my help, so I decided to try and find them. I took the remote for the Battle Shell because I had a feeling it would come in handy.

I soon spotted Raphael and grabbed him from behind. He told me that he had become separated from the others, and I declared that we had to find them. We encountered Donatello and Michelangelo next. Michelangelo was wounded due to his fall from the building. I knew we had to move quickly. Donatello searched and declared that he did not have the remote for the Battle Shell. I produced it, and he was glad that I had thought to bring it.

But we could not leave because a group of Foot Ninjas surrounded us. Donatello ordered me to activate the remote while he and Raphael fought the Foot Ninjas. I did the best I could, but I could not activate the correct button. I swear this technology is so complicated these days! After a few failed attempts, I ordered Donatello to activate the remote while I fought off the Ninjas. Once they were defeated, we drove off in the Battle Shell to search for Leonardo.

Donatello's driving made me nervous, so I kept trying to give him directions. We found Leonardo in an alley. He was happy to see us, and I was glad that they were all safe. Then I smacked them for being so foolish as to take on the Shredder by themselves. I told them we needed to sit still and let the Shredder come to us.

Shredder did come to us on a rooftop. My sons engaged in battle with the Foot. During the battle Shredder would interfere while my sons were distracted. I did my best to try and help them, but Shredder was too strong for them. He had them cornered by the water tower and was going to finish them off.

I leapt in front of my sons and declared that Shredder had destroyed my family once, and I was not going to let that happen again. We battled, and I managed to cause him to slice one of the supports from the water tower. That gave me the idea to dodge his attacks and make him slice the other supports. Once it happened, I knocked the Shredder over the building, and the water tower fell after him, causing him to be buried beneath it. Our foe had been killed, and your death was avenged. My sons and I went home with a feeling of justice for you. Now, my family is safe, and you can finally rest in peace now that your adversary is dead. Nothing will tear our family apart again, my beloved Master.

22222

Dear Master Yoshi,

Michelangelo has been acting strangely. Yesterday, he was drawing something during our practice session. It was a drawing of himself and his brothers in superhero costumes. His brothers mocked him and his drawing. I told Michelangelo that he needed to focus on his practice session, but he stated that he needed to clear his head.

When he came back, he seemed very different. On the news, Silver Sentry was talking about his defeat of Dr. Malignus and how he could not have done it without the help of the Turtle Titan. My sons were shocked, and Donatello asked Michelangelo if Silver Sentry was talking about him. Michelangelo denied it and stated that it was time to do some training. After our session was over, I asked Michelangelo to come to my room. He seemed nervous but followed me into my quarters.

"What's wrong, Sensei?" he asked me. "Am I in trouble?"

"No, you are not," I replied. "I am proud of you for wanting to do good in the world. I am glad that you are using something you are so passionate about to help others."

"You aren't mad at me?" Michelangelo asked. "I could still expose our secret to the world."

"With your disguise, I doubt anyone would guess that you are a real mutant," I answered. "You should continue to help others as the Turtle Titan."

"Um, thanks, Sensei," he said. "But how did you know it was me?"

"Fathers know these things," I responded with a smile. He smiled back and left my room in better spirits.

To be continued….

A/N: You want to know something funny? When I was writing this I accidentally wrote the Turtle Titan entry before the Shredder Strikes entry and then realized I'd made a mistake. Good thing I remembered it and remedied it here. Otherwise, I think a lot of fans would've been mad at me. Oops! I'm not sure when the next chapter will be up, but I'll try not to leave you guys hanging. Feel free to leave a review, and have a shell-tastic day!


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5: Down Time

A/N: Well, here's the next chapter. I wasn't sure if I'd be able to put it up this week or if I'd have to wait till next week. Luckily, I have time to put it up, so here it is. This chapter will just be some filler stuff for now until the next chapter where I'll be recapping The Shredder Strikes Back episodes. I hope you enjoy it. Thanks to everyone who has read and reviewed thus far. It's because of you that I'm continuing this story. Your kind words and encouragement have been greatly appreciated. Thanks a million.

Disclaimer: I don't own the TMNT. I only own the plot.

Dear Master Yoshi,

Michelangelo wanted to play a game with all of us. The others decided to humor him because they knew they could not refuse him. I decided to play as well because I knew it would make him happy.

"Okay, I'm going to be the hero," Michelangelo explained. "Leo, you're my sidekick. Don, you and Sensei are the evil villains. Raph, you're going to be the damsel in distress."

"Oh, hell no!" Raphael yelled. "You be the damsel in distress, Mikey. You're the one who screams like a girl."

"But I'm the hero!" Michelangelo protested. "I can't save myself!"

Donatello sighed in frustration. "I'll be the damsel in distress," he said resignedly.

Michelangelo's eyes lit up in excitement. "Cool!" he cried. "Thanks, Donnie!"

And so the game began. I must say I had a lot of fun playing the villain. If I was a human I would probably have a career in acting. It was a lot of fun, tough Raphael did not like Michelangelo trying to prompt him on what to say. It caused a bit of a fight, but I was able to intervene before it got out of hand. In the end, Donatello was rescued and the villains were brought to justice.

After it was over, my sons went off to their own activities, and I went back to my room. Michelangelo thanked us for our participation and left to play some video games.

22222

Dear Master Yoshi,

Mr. Jones came over to watch wrestling because his television was not working. I was a bit uncomfortable having him here, but I knew I could not turn him away. We all watched wrestling, except for Donatello who was reading a book. He does not like wrestling because he feels it is too fake. I happen to enjoy it because of the storylines and the action.

During a commercial, Mr. Jones said, "Hey, Raph, I bet you can't put me in a wrestling hold."

"Oh, yeah?" retorted Raphael. "You want to put money on that?"

"Uh, guys, we're not supposed to try the moves at home," cautioned Leonardo.

Mr. Jones laughed. "Leo, those ads are for little kids," he said. "We can do it all we want."

"Hey, guys, I want in on this, too," said Michelangelo.

"Something tells me this isn't going to end well," predicted Donatello.

"Perhaps it would be best if you postpone this attempt," I interjected. "These men are trained professionals who have practiced these moves. I do not want any of you to get hurt."

"Sensei, we've faced armies of Foot Ninjas and Purple Dragons," said Raphael. "This won't be so bad."

"Raphael, I do not think this is a good idea," I told him. "Now, Mr. Jones, I have no jurisdiction over you, but I will not allow anyone to harm my sons whether it be a villain or an ally." I gave him a very stern look, and he seemed to take the hint.

"Oh, okay, I won't do it then," he stammered. "Sorry, Master Splinter."

"Apology accepted," I replied.

"So, does that mean the bet is off?" asked Michelangelo.

"Kids," I sighed, shaking my head. Sometimes I feel my sons will make me even grayer than I already am. I am surprised I have not developed wrinkles as well.

22222

Dear Master Yoshi,

I enjoy spending time with each of my sons. Though they all have different interests, I often feel it is important for me to join them in their hobbies. I spent time with Leonardo first in the dojo. He was trying to perfect some katas he did not ge right in our practice session. I felt a little troubled by this and decided to speak with him about it.

"Leonardo, I do not think you should do this," I told him. "I feel as though you are punishing yourself for not getting the kata right."

"I'm not punishing myself, Master," said Leonardo. "I'm just trying to practice more to perfect the move. I promise I wont overdo it."

"I hope not, my son," I said as I watched him. I sometimes feel that he is putting pressure on himself that he does not need. I hope he does not crack under the weight of this pressure.

Raphael was lifting weights in his room and was surprised that I wanted to spend time with him. I was a bit confused as to why he lifted weights and asked him about it.

"I'm staying in shape," Raphael replied. "You wanna try it, Sensei?"

I shook my head. "No thank you, Raphael," I answered. "I would probably hurt myself in the process." I watched him lift weights until I grew bored and went to see what Donatello was doing.

Donatello wanted to go out to the junkyard to get some parts for an invention. He asked if I wanted to go with him, and I said I would. As we made our way through the sewers, Donatello talked about his invention and what he hoped it would do. I could not comprehend all that he was saying, though I did my best. He noticed my look of confusion and asked, "Sensei, is something wrong?"

"No, I just do not understand what you are trying to say," I responded. "Could you explain it in simpler terms?"

"Oh, sure, I can do that," Donatello replied and proceeded to explain himself in terms I could understand. I felt better knowing that I could comprehend what my son was saying, and I was fascinated by his knowledge and creativity. I always knew he would do great things one day.

When we arrived at the junkyard, Donatello immediately went to a certain pile. I was amazed that he knew where to go and what he was looking for. I couldn't help but remember when I used to take him to the junkyard when he was younger. A certain memory made me smile, and I asked, "Donatello, do you recall when I would take you here in your younger days?"

Donatello laughed. "Yeah, I do," he said. "I remember the bulldog who lived next to the junkyard. He'd come up to the fence and start growling at me. I was always so scared of him."

"Yes, and you would always make sure I was with you," I reminded him. "You were afraid the dog would attack you even though there was no way he could."

"How things change," Donatello mused.

"I agree, my son," I replied. "Change is often a good thing."

"It sure is," Donatello said. "Well, I've got all the parts I need. Thanks for coming out here with me, Sensei."

"You are quite welcome, Donatello," I said. "I am always willing to protect you from any bulldogs who might try to get you." I smiled to show him that I was joking.

"I know you are," Donatello said, returning the smile. "But I didn't ask you to come because of a bulldog. I asked you to come because I thought you'd like spending time with me."

"I do enjoy spending time with you," I told him. "Now, we must get home so I can play a video game with Michelangelo. I promised him I would."

"Hey, that's fine with me," Donatello responded. "You know, I've been studying those crystals I found in the Lair, and they're really interesting. I think we should go down in the sewers to see if there are more of them."

"That does sound like an interesting idea," I mused. "Perhaps you should go look."

Donatello went to the lab as soon as we got home. I went to the living room where Michelangelo was waiting for me. His eyes lit up as soon as he saw me.

"Hey, Sensei, you remembered!" he said excitedly. "That's so cool. I thought about what we should play, and I wanted to choose something easy for you. So I chose a racing game. Is that okay?"

I nodded. "That is fine, my son," I replied. "What do I do first?"

Michelangelo told me what to do and how to select a character. After that, he chose the course and told me what the controls were for. As we played, I kept getting confused about certain things such as how to steer. No matter how hard I tried, my character kept going the wrong way. Michelangelo kept trying to help me, but I still could not get the hang of it. I decided to stop playing and went to my room for meditation.

Perhaps one day I will get used to this technology, but I am sure it will take me a long time to master it. Michelangelo assured me I would learn with some practice, but I do not think it will help in my case. I am just an old rat who has a hard time understanding such things.

22222

Dear Master Yoshi,

My sons left to explore the sewers for some of those crystals Donatello was telling me about. Michelangelo did not want to go because he was frightened, but I think it was because of the horror movie he was watching and not the mission. He tried to get out of it, but the others dragged him away.

At least I will have some peace and quiet for a few days. I will be able to watch "Hearts and Souls" without any bickering or pleas to change the channel. I just hope my sons will find what they are looking for and that they will return safely to me.

22222

Dear Master Yoshi,

I received an invitation from the Daimyo to visit the Battle Nexus tomorrow. His son is celebrating his fifteenth birthday. I have decided to go because I know it will mean a lot to the Daimyo if I am there.

I watched an episode of "Hearts and Souls" today. Anita had her baby and found out her husband was having an affair with Danielle. Then Gwen got in a fight with Ashley over Damien and lost. Hector proposed to Ramona, and she said yes. It ended on a cliffhanger as someone poured something into Gwen's drink. I think that Ashley is going to kill her.

22222

Dear Master Yoshi,

I went to the Battle Nexus today was very glad to see the Daimyo and his son. Everyone welcomed me warmly, and it felt nice to be received like that. I have not told my sons about the Battle Nexus Tournament yet because I feel they are not ready for such a competition. I would like to wait for a few years until I feel they are truly ready.

"Splinter-san, it is good to see you," the Daimyo said. "Are you ready for the tournament this year?"

"Yes, I am," I replied.

"Perhaps you can have your sons enter as well," the Daimyo said with a smile.

"No, I do not want them to enter this year," I told him. "They are not ready for it just yet. I may consider it next time."

The Daimyo's son, Ve, decided to comment. "I mean no disrespect, Splinter-san, but aren't you being a bit unreasonable?" he asked. "If they want to enter, you should let them."

"Ve-sa!" the Daimyo chastised. "You should not interfere in adult affairs. If Splinter does not want his sons to compete, that is his decision. You should hold your tongue and show some respect."

"Yes, Father," Ve said. "I apologize, Splinter-san."

"Apology accepted," I said.

The party went on as planned, though I could tell that Ve was not happy. I sensed tension between father and son, and it unsettled me. I tried to imagine if my sons ever treated me like that and what the outcome would be. I do not thing such a thing would happen because my sons and I are very close.

"Splinter-san, are you going to stay here tonight?" the Daimyo asked me.

"No, I will be going home," I replied. "I do not know when my sons will get home, and I do not want them to be suspicious of my whereabouts."

"I understand," said the Daimyo. "Have a safe trip home, my friend. I look forward to seeing you at the tournament."

"As do I, Daimyo," I responded and bowed to him. He returned the bow and used his war staff to a portal to the sewers to I would not have to travel aboveground. I thanked him and made my way into the portal. As I stepped out and began walking, I sensed that something was not right.

I heard footsteps up ahead of me and knew it was not my sons by the scent. I hid in the shadows and waited to see who it was. A group of Foot Ninjas ran pat my hiding place. I knew they were after us, but I was not sure why. I hoped my sons would not run into them, and I came to the realization that we could not go home. We had to find another place to stay.

Thankfully, I was able to reunited with my sons and was able to warn them of the Foot Ninjas. A few of them passed by our hiding place, and I knew they were not going to leave. I told my sons we needed a pace to stay, and Michelangelo suggested we stay at Miss O'Neil's. When we arrived, she was shocked to see us, but that changed once she found out what was going on.

"You can stay as long as you like," she said graciously.

"Thank you, Miss O'Neil," I said. "We are grateful for your hospitality."

Now, I am sitting by the widow, looking out at the city. My sons are asleep, and I can hear Raphael's snores very clearly. It saddens me that we have once again been driven from our home, but I hope it will not be for long. For now, I am grateful that Miss O'Neil has been kind enough to let us stay in her home even though ti is small. One day, I hope that we can return the favor and do something for her in return.

Tbc…..

A/N: I know some people refer to the Ultimate Ninja as Ue, but on his action figure's packaging it said that he was known as Ve-Sa, so that's what I'm going with. Also, I'm not sure if he's older than the Turtles, so for the sake of my universe I'm just going to pretend that he's the same age as them, though a bit apart from them when it comes to when he was born. As always, feel free to leave a review and have a shell-tastic day.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6: Unforeseen

A/N: Sorry it took so long to get this chapter up. But since it's a new year, I've decided to keep on going with this story. This chapter will mainly be about the Turtles being at April's apartment and Leo's ambush. I hope that you all enjoy it. Thanks a million to those who have read, reviewed, and stuck with this story so far. Your kind words encourage me to continue with this story.

Disclaimer: I don't own the TMNT. They are owned by Nickelodeon Studios.

Dear Master Yoshi,

We are settling into Miss O'Neil's nicely though I know my sons are longing to be home. It is a bit cramped here, and there is not much for my sons to do. We cannot even practice during the day and must wait until it is dark so we can go to the rooftops. During the day my sons must be quiet so that no noise travels downstairs into the shop. This rule was implicated after Michelangelo and Raphael had a wrestling match and knocked over a lamp stand.

"Guys, knock it off," chastised Miss O'Neil. "People can hear you downstairs. Keep quiet unless you want to be discovered."

"Sorry, April," said Michelangelo. "We didn't mean to do that."

"Yeah, sorry," added Raphael.

"It's okay," replied Miss O'Neil. "Just try to be quieter. I know you're restless, but your safety is more important. Look, I have to go. I told my customers my cat made the noise."

"I assure you that my sons will stay silent, Miss O'Neil," I reassured her. I gave them a stern look to show them I meant what I said.

"Thank you, Master Splinter," she said. "I'll see you guys at lunch."

To make up for what he did, Michelangelo decided to cook lunch for Miss O'Neil. When she came back upstairs she was very surprised by his thoughtfulness. She smiled and gave him a hug.

"Mikey, you didn't have to do this," she said.

"I know, but I wanted to make it up to you," said my son. "And Raph's going to do the dishes for you, too."

Raphael was going to protest, but a nudge from Leonardo made him stop. "Oh, yeah, I'll do that," he said.

"Thanks, guys," said Miss O'Neil. "You're the best! I don't know what I'd do without you."

Lunch progressed and was very interesting. Donatello asked Miss O'Neil what it was like working for Dr. Stockman. Though she was guarded, she did say that working with him had been a good experience until the Mouser incident. Then she asked us what it was like being mutants living secretly underground. I told her we were used to it now though it did have its drawbacks sometimes.

Michelangelo told the story of how Raphael became stuck in a drain pipe when they were younger. I remember it well because Michelangelo had come to fetch me and told me of Raphael's dilemma. When I asked him how such a thing happened, he replied, "I dared him to do it. I'm so sorry."

I soothed him and followed him to the pipe in question. Once there, I asked Raphael if he was alright, and he replied that he was not because he was stuck. I assessed the situation and tried to get Raphael's head out of the pipe. When I could not succeed at it, I knew some other course of action needed to be taken.

"Can you get him out, Sensei?" Michelangelo asked.

"Yes, but I will need to take the pipe apart to do so," I replied. I examined it and saw that it was rusty in one spot. I began pressing on it and saw to my delight that it was broken in that section. After a few attempts I was able to break it apart so that Raphael could get out of the pipe. Michelangelo was relieved that his brother was alright and gave him a big hug. I took them home and lectured to them about how dares can sometimes be dangerous. They promised me they would never do it again, and I believed them.

"Wow, Raph, that had to be scary," Miss O'Neil said.

"I wasn't scared," Raphael protested. "I was just uncomfortable."

"Oh, you were scared, Raphie," Michelangelo teased. "You were crying for Sensei to come and get you."

"Oh, that's it, Mikey, you're dead!" Raphael growled. He made to go after his brother, but I stopped him with a stern, "Raphael, that is enough! You are not in your own home!" He returned to his seat, muttering angrily until I gave a stern look.

"Please forgive my sons, Miss O'Neil," I apologized. "They tend to forget they are not at home."

"It's okay, Master Splinter," she said. "They're just being typical teenagers."

"I am glad you are forgiving," I said. "Most humans would not look at my sons that way. Michelangelo, Raphael, you will be doing the dishes after our meal."

Both of them groaned but did as they were told. One day, they will learn to respect a home that is not theirs.

22222

Dear Master Yoshi,

I am afraid the worst has come to pass. The Shredder is alive and has unleashed vengeance on our family. I am very thankful that we have all survived, especially Leonardo.

It all started when Leonardo went out on a training run. I was suspicious because I thought that he wanted to scout the Lair alone. I told him that if we were to succeed against our foes we had to act as a team and not as rash individuals. He understood but was curious about what the Foot Ninjas were up to. I told him to be patient and that I had a feeling we would find out all too soon. I wanted to ask him to remain at the apartment, but I knew I would not be able to. Leonardo can be stubborn at times.

After he left, I went back to bed. Then I was wakened by Michelangelo who was startled when he laid on his hand and it hit his face. Needless to say, Donatello and Raphael were not happy about this. Michelangelo cooked breakfast though we did not want scrambled eggs. During the meal, Michelangelo was worried that Leonardo was not back, and Donatello assured him that Leonardo was the one you never had to worry about. I was a bit worried, but I tried not to show it. I had to be strong for my sons.

As the day passed, we really began to question why Leonardo was not home. Raphael wanted to go look for him, but I forbade it. Though I was concerned, I thought that maybe my fears were just overprotective feelings of a father. Then Michelangelo voiced that something may have happened. I gave my sons permission to leave, but before they could do so, Leonardo crashed through the window. My heart leapt in my throat as I saw his broken form on the floor. I feared the worst for him until he moaned. Raphael wanted to go out an find out who did this to his brother, but Leonardo told him to wait and declared that the Shredder was back.

We knew we had to leave the shop, but we were prevented by the Foot. They had found us. My sons began to battle while Miss O'Neil and I took care of Leonardo. At one point I had to join in the fighting, but that was not enough. My sons had to face the Elite Guard on the lower level and were beaten by them again and again. Then Shredder entered the shop, making things even more complicated. My sons and I tried to fight for Leonardo, but the odds were against us, even when Mr. Jones came to assist us. When Shredder tried to harm Leonardo, who gained enough strength to try to assist his brothers, I stepped in and defended him. I was determined to protect my family from this vile man.

Eventually, we had to barricade ourselves in a room that used to be a walk-in cooler according to Miss O'Neil. Michelangelo thought that maybe everyone left once they saw they could not get to us. Then Raphael declared that he smelled smoke while Donatello added that he smelled gas. I could smell it myself and wondered what could be happening. Michelangelo tried to open the door, but it would not budge. We had to leave, but we did not know how to get out. Then Miss O'Neil discovered a vent, and we made our escape before the building exploded.

We were unsure of where to go next. Michelangelo thought that the Lair would be a good place, but Donatello reminded him that there were Foot Ninjas down there. Raphael declared, "Hey, we don't run from nobody." I could tell that he wanted to continue the fight that had not really finished.

I put a paw on his hand, which he had balled into a fist. "And yet, we must," I said. There was no way I was putting Leonardo in any more danger. He needed to heal.

Miss O'Neil turned to us, tears falling down her face as she grieved for the loss of her shop and her home. "But where?" she asked.

Mr. Jones said he had a perfect place and told us of his grandmother's farmhouse. I thought it was the best idea we had, so we set out to escape the Foot. Our main concern was Leonardo and whether he would survive.

I am growing tired now. I will continue on with this story tomorrow.

A/N: Sorry if the chapter seems short. I thought it would be much longer. And sorry if it seems to be a lot of retelling. I wanted to try to avoid that, but I knew Splinter would probably detail the action. I know I didn't put a lot of dialogue that was in the show, but I thought it wasn't necessary and wanted to just tell the bare facts as Splinter would more than likely do. I know I left some things out like Hun threatening April and Leo, but that's because it's in Splinter's point of view, and he was busy fighting. I did the best I could, and I hope you like what I have. Please leave a review and let me know what you think. The next chapter should be up next week, but I'll have to see how I feel. Have a shell-tastic day!


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7: Recovery

A/N: Sorry it took me so long to post this chapter. Sinus problems have been the big factor, but I decided I need to post this now. And don't worry, this chapter will be longer than chapter six, so I may not be able to post it all in one sitting. I may have to take breaks since it's pretty long, and I don't want my hands to wear out. This chapter focuses on Leo's recovery after the ambush by the Foot. I hope you enjoy it. Thanks to those who have read and reviewed so far. It means a lot to me that you love this story.

Disclaimer: If you haven't guessed already, I don't own TMNT. They're owned by Nickelodeon Studios.

Dear Master Yoshi,

When we arrived at the farmhouse, I took charge. I ordered Michelangelo to help Mr. Jones get some firewood while Donatello, Raphael, and I got Leonardo out of the trailer and into the house. Mr. Jones and Michelangelo returned with firewood and started a fire. We settled Leonardo on the couch and covered him up. Now it was just a matter of waiting until he woke up.

After a bit of time, Raphael grew impatient and asked why Leonardo would not wake up. I explained that healing takes time and that Leonardo was suffering from more than just physical wounds, and that his spirit was also injured.

Donatello asked, "Do you think he can hear us?"

"Perhaps," I said. I wanted to believe that Leonardo could hear us and would come back to us soon. I did not want to lose him.

Donatello knelt down and began to talk to his brother. He told his story of how Leonardo saved him after he tried to retrieve a remote control car and almost drowned. I remembered this incident because I covered Donatello up in a blanket and scolded him for his recklessness. I praised Leonardo for saving him, but I wish he would have tried to prevent the incident from happening.

"You really came through for me that day, Leo," Donatello concluded. "You always do, and I know you will again."

"Looks like you got him hanging on your every word, Don," Raphael said skeptically. I knew he did not believe this would work. Before he could say more, Leonardo stirred.

"Hey, I think he heard you, Raphie," Mr. Jones said.

"Maybe talking to him does help," Miss O'Neil added, hope filling her voice.

"Mind if I take a crack at it?" Michelangelo asked. He knelt where Donatello had been and began talking, begging Leonardo to concentrate on his voice. He told the story of how he tried to distract Leonardo from doing his katas and how Leonardo never lost focus no matter how hard Michelangelo tried to distract him. I do not recall this moment, but I do know that Leonardo has always been very good at blocking out distractions.

"Leo, when you put your mind to something, you're unstoppable," Michelangelo declared. "So, how about using that famous focus of yours to come back to us?"

"Ha! If you ask me, Leo's not coming back because he's afraid," Raphael scoffed.

"No one asked you!" Michelangelo snapped, coming to his brother's defense.

"You know, he got his butt whooped and now he's too chicken to come back and face it," Raphael continued.

"That's enough, Raph," ordered Donatello.

"Well, I say who needs you?" snarled Raphael. "It's not like we can't go on without you playing Fearless Leader." Tears filled his eyes, though he tried to hide them. I knew he did not mean what he said. It was just his way of releasing his true emotions. He told the story of how Leonardo saved him from an albino crocodile during a game of Follow the Leader. I did not know of this story, and was shocked that they disobeyed me. And yet, I was pleased that Leonardo used one of the techniques I taught him to save his brother.

"I don't know why I told you that story," said Raphael. "I guess you're just…Well, what I'm trying to say is…"But he could not finish because of his emotions. He put a hand over his face to try to hide the tears that were in his eyes. Leonardo stirred again, and I knew he had heard his brother's words.

"Your brother hears you, Raphael," I said putting a paw on his shoulder. "He understands."

Raphael turned away and went to the window. I think he was guilty about all the times he had disagreements with Leonardo and all the harsh things he said during those times.

It was now my turn to try to bring Leonardo back to us. I knew he wanted to come back, but he was frightened as Raphael had said. I coaxed Leonardo to conquer his fear just as he did many years ago. Raphael was shocked by that and declared that his brother has never been afraid of anything in his life. I told them that such a statement was not true and told the story of how Leonardo was afraid of heights when he was younger. It was my job to get him to conquer that fear, and I was able to do so. I pretended to be in trouble, and Leonardo saved me. He then realized that I could have saved myself at any time, and I explained to him that if I saved myself, he would still be consumed by his fear. By focusing on the task to save me, he was able to clear his mind of the distracting fear of heights.

"Do so again," I begged him. "Ignore the fear, my son. Find your way home. Return to us."

I could tell Leonardo was trying to come back. There was a tense moment when we thought he was not alive, but then he opened his eyes and said, "No fear." My sons cheered in relief, and Mr. Jones and Miss O'Neil hugged. I wiped a tear from my eye. My son was back.

"We thought you were gone, bro," Raphael said, his voice filled with relief.

"I was," Leonardo said weakly. "But you brought me back. All of you."

"You fought your way back, my son," I told him. "You have done well."

"Thank you, Sensei," he said. Then he lapsed into sleep.

"The danger has passed," I declared. "Now we must let him rest." As we were leaving the room, I heard Raphael say, "Hey, Leo, if you need anything, I'll be right outside." His words made me smile. No matter how much he tried to hide it, Raphael truly loved his older brother and would do anything for him.

While Leonardo rested, Miss O'Neil made us some chicken noodle soup and hot chocolate. Everyone discussed what we would do the next day. Donatello said he wanted to treat Leonardo's wounds and would need first aid supplies for that. Miss O'Neil concocted a list of things we would all need and asked Mr. Jones to pick it up in the morning.

"Oh, I don't do a lot of shopping," Mr. Jones told us, "Raph, maybe you could come with me."

Raphael rolled his eyes. "Yeah, like I can go out to a department store in broad daylight," he said sarcastically. "Get with the program, Case."

Miss O'Neil sighed. "I'll go with you, Casey," she said. "I've never seen a man who's afraid of shopping."

"I'm not afraid," retorted Mr. Jones. "I just don't like it. Hey, are you sure you want me to get these?" He pointed to an item on the list.

"Yeah, I'm sure," said Miss O'Neil. "I sort of need them."

"For what? Wiping down the tables?" asked Mr. Jones.

Donatello slapped his palm on his forehead. "Casey, sanitary napkins are something a woman uses during her menstrual cycle," he explained. "It has nothing to do with tables."

Mr. Jones blushed. "Oh, I didn't know that," he said. "My bad."

"Dude, you've never heard of a woman's period?" laughed Michelangelo. "Even I know about it, and I'm not even human!"

"Hey, I was an only child!" defended Mr. Jones. "My mom never told me about that 'cause I wasn't a girl. Cut me some slack, will you?"

I gave him a stern look. "I must remind you that Leonardo is resting," I said. "He needs quiet so that he can heal."

Mr. Jones looked a little guilty at my reprimand. "Sorry, Master Splinter," he apologized. "There's two bedrooms upstairs for you guys. Master Splinter, you can take the one down here if you want. April and I can take the other bedrooms upstairs."

"Thank you, Mr. Jones, but I will sleep by Leonardo's side tonight," I told him.

"That's cool," said Mr. Jones. "I'll still have it ready in case you change your mind."

"Sensei, can I stay with Leo?" pleaded Raphael. "I made a promise that if he needed anything, I'd be right there."

"No, Raphael, you need your rest," I replied. "I will stay with your brother. If anything happens, I will alert you."

I could tell he was not happy about my declaration, but he knew better than to argue with me. He nodded and went upstairs with his brothers. Miss O'Neil fetched a blanket and gave it to me so that I would be warm. I thanked her and wished her and Mr. Jones a good night. They did the same and headed upstairs to their rooms.

I settled into the armchair and looked at Leonardo's sleeping form. I could not help but shudder at the thought of what could have happened. If I had lost him, I do not know what I would have done. But I could not dwell on that now. He was alive, and that was all that mattered. I watched him for a little while until my own eyes closed, and I settled into sleep.

I woke when I heard Leonardo talking in his sleep. He was thrashing around as he was having a terrible nightmare. I knew it was not good for him to be moving around so much with his wounds. I hurried to his side and began gently shaking him. "Leonardo, please wake up," I begged him. "You are safe now."

Leonardo awoke with a gasp and looked around frantically. When he set eyes on me, he realized where he was.

"Are you alright, my son?" I asked him.

Leonardo tried to calm himself. "No," he answered. "I dreamed about the attack, Master. I've failed you." He hung his head in shame.

I put a paw on his shoulder. "Leonardo, you have not failed me," I said gently. "You fought well. It is not your fault that you were attacked. It is just something that happened."

"But I lost," Leonardo protested. "I didn't fight hard enough."

"Yes, you did lose, but you still fought your enemies and did not give up," I replied. "You were outnumbered, and that is a big disadvantage to anyone, no matter how skilled of a warrior you may be. You did the best you could and fought honorably. The Foot did not fight with any honor. They took advantage of you and attacked you so that you could not defend yourself. They did the same to us as we fought in Miss O'Neil's shop."

Leonardo was about to say something when we heard footsteps on the stairs. We saw Raphael in the doorway, looking a bit guilty for intruding.

"Raphael, come in," I said, beckoning him inside. He did so and went to his brother's side.

"I couldn't sleep and wanted to make sure Leo was okay," Raphael said.

"I'm okay, Raph," Leonardo replied. "Just shaken up by my bad dream."

"I had one, too," Raphael said. "I dreamed you were dead, and we couldn't wake you up. What was yours about?"

"The attack," Leonardo answered. "Wait, you had a dream that I was dead?"

Raphael nodded. "Yeah, I did," he said.

"It seems you both had dreams based on your fears," I explained. "Such a thing is very common."

"You've told us this before, Master Splinter," Leonardo pointed out. "When we were little and had nightmares."

"Hey, I ain't afraid of nothing!" Raphael protested. "I was just concerned about Leo, that's all. It was just a dream."

I smiled. "I beg to differ, Raphael," I told him. "You have a fear that you will lose your brother. It is nothing to be ashamed of. It just shows that you care for Leonardo and love him."

"How can we get rid of these fears, Sensei?" Leonardo asked. There was desperation in his eyes as though he was afraid I would not have the answer.

"Leo, it's okay to be scared," Raphael said. "We all know you were afraid of heights when you were little."

"And to combat that fear, you focused on the task of rescuing me," I explained. "Perhaps both of you can focus on other things to combat your fears."

"Maybe we could talk to each other until we fall asleep," Raphael suggested.

"That is a good idea," I agreed. "Raphael, you should sleep down here. I will take the bed Mr. Jones has set up for me."

"Are you sure, Sensei?" Raphael asked. "I don't want you to leave on my account."

"It is fine, my son," I responded. "You two should sped some time together. I will see you in the morning." I went to the room Mr. Jones had set up for me and prepared for bed. I knew Leonardo would be fine and that Raphael would alert me if something were to happen. With a last sigh of relief for our escape and Leonardo's recovery, I fell asleep.

22222

Dear Master Yoshi,

Mr. Jones and Miss O'Neil retuned with the items we all needed. Donatello tended to Leonardo's wounds while Raphael stayed by his brother's side in case he needed him. Whenever Leonardo was in pain, he would squeeze Raphael's hand hard. Donatello reported that Leonardo had a broken arm, a mild concussion, broken ribs, and various cuts and bruises. He did say that Leonardo would make a full recovery though it would take him some time to heal.

"Man, if I get a hold of even one Foot Ninja, they won't be able to walk," Raphael threatened. His eyes were filled with anger for those who hurt his brother.

"Patience, Raphael," I cautioned. "I know you are angry, but we must focus on your brother's recovery first. After he has recovered, we can focus on avenging his attack."

"You don't think they'll come here, do you?" Michelangelo asked fearfully.

"I doubt it, Mikey," Raphael replied. "They're probably still in the sewers making sure we're not down there."

"Well, I've done all I can," Donatello said. "I'll have to change the bandages at night and in the morning. We should give you a bath tonight before I change the bandages. Maybe it'll help."

"And how the shell are we supposed to get him upstairs?" demanded Raphael.

"We don't have to, Raph," replied April. "I got one of those portable tubs. We can bathe him down here."

"Um, I appreciate the thought, but do I have to do it in front of everyone?" asked Leonardo.

"Don't worry, Leo, we'll give you some privacy," reassured April. "You won't have to bathe in front of all of us."

"Besides, we used to bathe together when we were little," pointed out Raphael. "What's the big deal?"

"The big deal is that we're older now," Leonardo replied. "I just don't feel comfortable with it."

"We will do whatever will make you comfortable, my son," I told him.

Leonardo seemed happy by this and said nothing more. He sighed and settled into the couch. "I wish there was more for me to do," he said.

"We could move the TV in here if you want," Michelangelo suggested.

"Yeah, that'll work," Mr. Jones added. "There's an outlet we can plug it into."

"Sounds good," Leonardo said. "Are there any books to read?"

"I'm not sure," said Mr. Jones. "We have to look around. I think Grandma had some books around here."

"You know, I remember seeing a bookstore when we were in town," pointed out Miss O'Neil. "Maybe I could go there and get some reading material for you guys."

"That would be fine, Miss O'Neil," I said.

Michelangelo and Mr. Jones moved the television so that Leonardo could watch it. He felt better and watched it with them. Although there were not a lot of channels available, we made do with what we had. Michelangelo had an idea to play a game when a program no one liked was on. They muted the television and composed their own dialogue to the show. I must say it was amusing, and I joined in. However, I made sure they turned the sound on when "Hearts and Souls" came on. I was glad we were able to see this show, though Mr. Jones was not impressed.

"I don't know why chicks like this stuff," he complained. "It's just too sappy and predictable."

"Shut up, Casey," snapped Miss O'Neil. "It's no different than wrestling. The only thing different is that people don't get beat up all the time on the soaps."

"See, that's the thing," said Mr. Jones. "The only thing they do is maybe slap each other or point a gun at each other. Yeah, there are deaths, but there are no real fights. I'd love to see one of those chicks fight another one. Like Cynthia and Beth. Beth stole Cynthia's man and had sex with him, right? Well, I think Cynthia should kick Beth's ass. She needs to start punching her lights out."

"Yeah, they should totally mud wrestle," said Raphael. "I'd watch that."

"No, they should do it in mashed potatoes," Michelangelo contradicted. "I saw that on WWE once."

"Mr. Jones, my sons, I would appreciate it if all of you would be quiet," I told them. "I am trying to watch."

"Sorry, Master Splinter," they said and lapsed into silence.

After the show was over, Michelangelo suggested that we all go out for a snowball fight. Mr. Jones and Raphael accepted. Donatello was reluctant to join in, but gave in after Michelangelo gave his famous puppy dog look. I declined because I was not eager to get snow in my fur. When I had to scavenge for my sons in the winter, I would often get snow on my fur that would melt and make my fur wet. It made me very uncomfortable, which is why I am not fond of snow at times. Miss O'Neil also declined but did say that she would referee the match. Michelangelo was excited by this and gave her a hug.

While they went to have their snowball fight, I sat with Leonardo. I could tell he was deep in thought about something. I felt guilty as I saw the injuries and wished that this had never happened. I had failed to protect my son from harm.

"Is there something on your mind, Leonardo?" I asked him.

"I can't help thinking about what happened to me," said Leonardo. "I just can't understand how they knew I was there."

"They probably did not expect you to be there," I said. "Most likely, they were on patrol when they spotted you. They probably had orders from Shredder to attack you if they saw you. Such dishonorable tactics!"

Leonardo nodded at my words. "Well, after I get better we have to pay Shredder a visit and finish this," he said.

"Yes, I suppose so," I replied. "However, it will take some time for you to heal. You must be patient, my son, and take your time."

"I will, Sensei," Leonardo promised.

"Good," I said. "That is all that matters."

"I know," Leonardo said.

"Dude, that was so not fair!" Michelangelo cried as he came into the house. "You cheated."

"Did not!" Mr. Jones retorted. "Raph and I won fair and square. Right, April?"

Miss O'Neil smiled. "Raph and Casey did win, Mikey," she said. "I saw no evidence of cheating."

"Face it, Mikey, you're just being a sore loser," said Raphael.

"Oh, like you wouldn't act the same way if you lost?" Michelangelo retorted.

Raphael was about to respond, but I intervened. "My sons, enough bickering," I scolded. "Michelangelo, you must learn to take your losses with more humility. When facing a battle situation, you will face defeat if you do not have your guard up. You must be careful."

Michelangelo said nothing more but stormed off. I felt that he needed a lecture and would appreciate what I was trying to teach him in due time. He apologized for his temper later on and said that he was sorry he was being a sore loser. He even cooked lunch to make up for it.

That night we watched an episode of Wheel of Fortune. Donatello guessed most of the puzzles, though I did very well myself. Michelangelo and Raphael were staring at Vanna the whole time and making comments such as, "I'd like to solve her puzzle anytime," and "I'd like to take a spin on her wheel." Then I put an end to the obscene comments and made them each do thirty flips for it.

Then the conversation took a bit of a turn. It started with a discussion about which women my sons would date in the WWE. I must say the answers were a bit amusing. Michelangelo said he would date Maria because, "She's so good looking."

"Nah, Melina would be your type," Raphael said. "You both have annoying screams."

"Hey!" Michelangelo protested. "Who would you date, Raphie?"

"Not any of these Divas," he replied. "I would date Chyna. Now there was a woman who could hang with the guys."

"Seriously?" asked Mr. Jones. "That chick was scary. So, who would you date if you were gay?"

"Case, you crack me up," laughed Raphael. "I don't swing that way."

"I know, but if you did, who would you date?" he persisted.

"Nobody," said Raphael.

"Me, neither," said Michelangelo. "I can't see myself dating a guy. Hey, Master Splinter, how would you feel if one of us was gay?"

"I would still love you as my sons no matter what," I answered.

"Hey, Donnie, you're in luck," Mr. Jones teased. "Your dad's okay with your choice of lifestyle."

Donatello was not amused. "Just because I wear purple doesn't mean I'm gay," he said. "I'm so sick of these stereotypes about gay people. It's people like you, Casey Jones, that make me fear for our country. If we have to rely on narrow-minded idiots like you to run our country, we're doomed!" Then he stormed up to his room and slammed the door.

"Geez, I was just joking," said Mr. Jones.

"Joking or not, it was not an appropriate thing for you to say," I scolded. "When he returns you will apologize to him for making such a cruel remark."

Mr. Jones nodded and did as I asked. Donatello forgave him though I could tell he was still hurt by Mr. Jones's words. Later that night, I spoke with him and told him he was good son and was brave for standing up for himself. I also told him that I was proud of who he was and that I loved all of them devotedly. That made him feel better, and he went to bed with a smile on hs face.

2222

Dear Master Yoshi,

Leonardo's recovery is going well. There are days when he does the exercises and is determined to get better. Then there are other days when he gets frustrated and does not what to do as he is told. When that happens, Raphael encourages him to do it, though he sometimes gets angry and starts yelling. That is when I intervene and tell everyone to leave Leonardo alone.

I know my son is feeling sad right now, though I do not know why. He is recovering nicely according to Donatello. I believe there is something more to this though I do not know what it is. I hope that he will open up to me about what plagues him. I fear that if he does not relieve himself of the burden, he will fall into a pit of despair that he cannot escape.

22222

Dear Master Yoshi,

Sometimes my sons can be so foolish. I had told them not to walk in the woods, but Michelangelo chose not to listen. As a result, a videotape of him walking in the woods was seen by a woman named Abigail Finn. I did not know who this woman was, but Donatello did and said that she will do anything to get what she wants. So Donatello and Michelangelo went to see if they could thwart her.

Meanwhile, Leonardo was still in the barn. Raphael was shocked by that, and I told him that his brother was suffering from both physical and spiritual wounds and would need support if he was to heal. When he hard that, Raphael went out to the barn, and I believe he was going to try to get through to his brother.

Donatello and Michelangelo were not able to get a hold of the tape and found themselves trapped in a containment unit where they almost froze to death. Luckily, Donatello was able to get them out. I thought it would be best for them to not go through with the plan, but they did along with Mr. Jones. I had a feeling this was not going to be good.

"Do I even want to know what they're planning?" Miss O'Neil asked.

"No, you do not," I replied. "I just hope they do not get in over their heads."

As it turned out, the plan resulted in the tape being recovered and destroyed. Miss Finn was exposed for a fraud and left the premises. As for the fabled Green Man, there was such a creature in the woods, but it was a woman with babies. I was glad that they were able to thwart Miss Finn from doing any harm to us.

"I just hope you have learned a valuable lesson from this, my sons," I said, looking pointedly at Michelangelo.

"Yeah, no more walking in the woods alone," said Michelangelo. "You never know when a mad scientist lady could be watching you."

As we were all laughing, Raphael came out of the barn and beckoned for us to follow him. "Hey, guys, come on out back," he said. "There's someone I want you to meet."

We followed him to the barn and watched as he opened the doors. Leonardo came out with two new katanas in his hands to replace the ones he had lost in the battle with the Foot.

"I'd like to introduce you to Leonardo, new and improved," Raphael said.

"Hi, everyone," Leonardo said shyly. He seemed than he had before. It was as though these new swords had created new life within him. "I say we go back to New York and finish our business with the Shredder." His brothers joined him, and they raised their weapons in a symbol of togetherness. I was so proud of them.

As we made our way back to the house, I put a paw on Leonardo's shoulder and looked up at him. His eyes were no longer filled with pain or sorrow. Instead, they were shining with victory and determination to finish a battle that he needed to win.

"Welcome back, my son," I said.

"Thank you, Master Splinter," Leonardo said. Then he bent down and embraced me. I returned the embrace, happy to have my son back with me once more.

22222

Dear Master Yoshi,

We are in the van heading back to New York. As I sit here, I cannot help but reflect on all that we have been through in the past few months. We nearly lost Leonardo, were driven from our home, and suffered greatly at the hands of the Shredder. Miss O'Neil lost her home and must start over again. And yet, despite all of this, I cannot imagine what would happen if we did not have allies like Miss O'Neil and Mr. Jones. They have truly been friends to the end for us.

And now we are heading back to finish this battle once and for all. My sons are asleep now, and I gaze at each of them. They are all determined to defeat their enemy and avenge their brother's attack. And yet, I know they are afraid of the unknown as well. I am particularly worried about Leonardo. His physical wounds may have healed, but I feel there are some wounds that are not yet healed. Perhaps when the battle is ended, Leonardo can truly heal.

My greatest hope is that we can defeat Shredder once and for all so that he will not tear us apart every again. Once that happens, then we can truly be a family with no enemies to hinder us.

A/N: Wow. Thirteen pages! I didn't think it would be that long. So, what did you think? Did you like it, or do you think it could've been better? Feel free to leave a review. Have a shell-tastic day. I don't know when the next update will be, but I'll try to have it soon.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8: Delirium

A/N: Hey, I'm back once again. Sorry it took so long, but I had a lot on my plate including a Harry Potter story I've neglected. But now I'm back in the game and ready to get back to this story. This chapter will focus on what happened to Splinter after the battle with Shredder in New York. I figured that nobody has really done this before as far as I know, and I wanted to be a bit unique. So, I hope that you like it. Thanks to those who have stuck with this story and have had the patience to wait for an update. I will try not to keep you waiting so long, but I can't make any promises. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: TMNT and all related characters are property of Nickelodeon Studios. I am making no profit off of this story. It's just something I'm doing for fun.

Dear Master Yoshi,

We returned to New York to face the Shredder and end this war. We had to encounter many obstacles to get to Shredder's stronghold, but we managed to do it. The battle was not easy, but we continued to fight bravely. I was determined to see the Shredder defeated so he would not hurt my family.

During the battle I was hurled out of a window. I tried to grab onto something to stop my fall, but I was unable to do so. Then I saw Leonardo coming to rescue me with a rope. He stopped my fall and brought me to safety, but I was still wounded. He wanted to stay with me, and I told him to keep on fighting the Shredder. He did so, vowing to help me when they were finished. I waited for them, but they did not return. I was badly wounded and in need of care. Then one of the Guardians came and saw my plight.

"Come with me," he said. "We will be able to treat your wounds."

"No," I protested. "We must wait for my sons."

"You are badly injured," he insisted. "You must get treated." Seeing I was about to speak, he cut me off. "We will make sure your sons know you are safe. You will be reunited with them when you are healed."

Despite this reassurance, I decided it would be best to get treated since I did not know how long my sons would be in the battle. I was very worried for them and hoped fervently that they would be victorious.

I was carried from Shredder's building and taken to the TCRI Headquarters. I remembered the building from when you moved to New York and before you moved to your home. I did not feel that the Guardians were going to harm me and felt safe with them. My mind was still on my sons and whether they were safe. I knew they would be worried when they saw that I was missing. I had left my walking stick so they would know that I was not captured against my will.

We entered the building, and I was escorted to a room. They laid me down on a bed and reassured me that I would be well cared for. I thanked them and wondered what would happen to me. A little while later a man came in. He did not look threatening, but I still tensed in anticipation.

"Greetings, Splinter," he said. "Welcome to our headquarters. I am Mr. Mortu."

"How did you know my sons and I needed help?" I asked. I remembered Mr. Mortu from the encounter where he gave me your ashes.

"We have been monitoring you for some time," Mr. Mortu replied. "Once we found out you were in peril, we came to your aid."

"Thank you," I said. "Will you make sure my sons know I am safe?"

"Yes," he answered. "It is already being taken care of. We've gotten a report that your sons defeated the Shredder."

"That is good to hear," I said. I was relieved to hear that my sons were safe and that they had defeated Shredder. Now, we could be a family with no war or strife from the man who killed my master. I really hoped they would come for me soon.

"We should get you to the infirmary," Mr. Mrotu suggested. "They'll be able to assess your injuries and treat you."

I nodded and was escorted to the infirmary where I was put on a table. They scanned my body and discovered that my wounds were not as severe as they thought they would be. I was in pain, but I mostly had bruises and cuts. These were treated, and I was put in my room to rest. Later they gave me some food, which was fairly good.

I am feeling a bit tired, so I will resume my story tomorrow.

22222

Dear Master Yoshi,

Two days later, I had a horrible fever. I was delirious and did not know where I was. I even tried to fight those who were caring for me though I did not have much strength. When my fever did not go down on its own, they put me in a stasis chamber to heal me. Although I was asleep, I could still sense things. I could even feel my sons' presence, though I was not sure if that was the fever, or if they were really there. I found out later that they saw me in the chamber and were really worried for me.

When I woke up, I was lying in the room they had taken me to when I first arrived. Mr. Mortu reported that my sons had entered the building and engaged in battle with some of the Utroms. They had stepped onto a trans-mat, which caused them to be transported to another dimension. I was very worried, but Mortu assured me that they were doing all they could to try and bring them home.

"And what if you cannot do so?" I demanded.

"Then they will have to stay there until we find a way," he replied. "But try not to worry. We won't let any harm come to your sons."

How could I not worry? These were my children he was talking about. My babies I found in a sewer. I nursed them when they were sick, treated their injuries, comforted them when they cried, and showed them affection. Clearly, Mr. Mortu did not know what it meant to be a parent. I made a vow when I first found my sons that I would protect them until the day I died, and intended to keep that promise.

Mr. Mortu left the room, promising to keep me informed of their efforts to retrieve my sons. I said nothing for I was too worried about what may be happening. I decided to try to reach my sons via the astral plane. Surely that would give me a clue if they were alive or not. I closed my eyes and concentrated on my sons. Yes, I could feel them, though I knew they were not aware of my presence. I could feel their fear for me and their fear that they would not get home. I longed to reassure them that I was safe, but I could not do so because they were not mediating with me.

Feeling a wave of relief that my sons were safe, I exited my meditative state and ate the food Mortu had brought up. I was determined to get stronger and to greet my sons when they did return.

Eight hours later, Mr. Mortu came bursting into my room. "Splinter, your sons came back," he said. "They're fighting with some of our men."

I hurried out of bed and followed him to where my sons were. Sure enough, they were engaged with some of Mortu's men and some creatures I would later learn were Triceratons.

"My sons, they are not the enemy!" I shouted.

They stared in disbelief as they saw me then hurried to my side, gathering me in a bone crushing hug. I had to ask my sons to let me go because I thought they would crack my spine. They did so, their eyes showing their relief at seeing that I was safe. The Utroms transported the Triceratons back to their world. I then saw that my sons had been accompanied by a robot named Professor Honeycutt who was the designer of the trans-mat and told me of his history.

Then Mr. Mortu asked if we would like to know more about the Utroms and their world. He showed us a machine that would take us through their history and how they arrived on Earth. I saw Donatello's eyes light up at this for I knew he was fascinated by history and by machines. We went into the machine and were reassured that we would be safe.

I must say, the history of the Utroms was very interesting. They were carrying a prisoner to another planet and crashed on Earth when the prisoner tried to escape. They tried to get their ship repaired, but it would take time. So they tried to make suits that would hide their appearance so that they could walk among the humans. Meanwhile, the prisoner escaped and also made a suit, which resembled the one Shredder had. We thought that maybe it was a distant ancestor.

Later, my sons and I engaged in battle with this prisoner. Then something went wrong, and Michelangelo was injured. We retreated to safety so no one else would get hurt. Leonardo scouted ahead and reported that the prisoner had invented what would then become the Sword of Tengu.

Michelangelo recovered, and we were ready to go home when we were engaged in battle once again. It seemed as though we would lose until Donatello had the idea for Leonardo to use his mind to get the Sword of Tengu. Leonardo did so and was successful. We were also able to retrieve the device that would bring us home.

Once we were transported home, I thought we would be safe, but I was wrong. Shredder and his army were invading the building. We began to battle them, and it was not easy. During the fray, Shredder revealed himself to be an Utrom, the same prisoner we had seen in the machine. We were all shocked because we had not realized this at all.

But that was not the worst part. Shredder released a bomb that infected the building and would implode the structure. We were battling Shredder, and I was worried that we would all perish. Luckily, the Utroms were able to get the trans-mat working and urged us to use it. We hurried onto it and waited as it took us away from the building. It transported us out of the building, causing us to land on the Battle Shell (which caused some bruising and some sore tails). Shredder was not able to follow us out of the building, but I do not know if he is alive or if he has been defeated for good.

We dropped Miss O'Neil and Mr. Jones off and headed back home. My sons were talking about the events of the day and all that had happened. I wanted to tell them more about what happened to me, but I did not want them to worry about it. I was safe, and that was all that mattered.

That night, my sons went up to bed, and I went into my chambers. But during the night, my sons came down and requested to sleep beside me for the night. I granted their request, and the four of them settled in a circle around me. Leonardo and Raphael at my sides, Donatello close to my head, and Michelangelo at my feet. I remember when they used to do this as children, but it was much easier then as they were smaller. Although they are bigger, it touches my heart that they would seek comfort from me.

22222

Dear Master Yoshi,

Leonardo has been sick for the past few days. Of all of my sons, he is the one who does not get sick very much, but when he does, it can sometimes be bad for him. This particular sickness came on suddenly. He was fine during the day and during their patrol, but in the middle of the night, he began vomiting.

I was concerned and hurried to his side. I was worried about how he had contracted this illness as none of his brothers were sick. Donatello concluded that it must have been the cold night air and insisted that Leonardo stay in his room.

He vomited again, and I was really getting worried. His temperature was still high and was not going down. I had prepared some herbs for the fever, but I did not want to give them to him for fear he would vomit them back up. I decided to wait until his stomach settled before I gave him anything.

"Sensei, maybe you should go downstairs," Donatello suggested. "I can keep watch over him."

"No, my son, I will stay," I insisted. "You may go and rest."

"But, Master, you've been here for hours," he protested. "Just take a rest."

I leveled him with a stern look. "I am staying here," I repeated firmly.

He sighed in defeat and went downstairs. I heard Michelangelo ask, "Is Leo gonna be okay?"

"Well, he's got a high fever," Donatello answered. "We just have to wait and see."

"Is Sensei givin' him those herbs?" Raphael inquired.

"He wants to wait until Leo's stomach settles," Donatello replied.

I tuned out the rest of the conversation and focused on Leonardo. He was quiet for a short time but then began to mumble in his sleep. I drew closer to his side so I could make out the words.

"Failure…Not good enough…Can't please Splinter…"

I grew concerned at these words. Was that how Leonardo viewed himself, or was this just a feverish dream? He kept muttering these words in a haunting mantra. It pained me to hear him speak this way, and I knew I had to reassure him.

I put a paw on his forehead. "You are not a failure, my son," I said. "You are a skilled warrior who has shown promise. Focus on your strengths, Leonardo. Ignore this voice giving you such negative thoughts. You are an asset to this team, a good leader who cares about his family. You do not have to worry about pleasing me. I am proud of you, Leonardo, and I love you dearly."

I was not sure if he heard my words, but he settled down after I spoke to him. I was relieved because I was worried about what he was saying. I stayed with him for a bit longer to make sure he was comfortable. Then Donatello took over so I could rest. I was reluctant to leave him, but I knew it was not a good idea for me to get sick from lack of sleep.

Shortly after I fell asleep, Leonardo's fever broke. I felt relieved when Donatello woke me to tell me the news. I thanked him and went back to sleep, confident that my son would recover from his illness.

22222

Dear Master Yoshi,

Leonardo is fully recovered from his illness. He joined practice today after being prohibited from it for so long. I could tell he was happy to be joining his brothers once more. It was good to see him there once again. I am so happy that he is fully recovered from his illness. I have often thought about speaking to him about what he said to me in his delirium but decide against it every time. I am sure the information would be hard for him to talk about, and it could be that he would not remember talking in his feverish state.

Mr. Jones and Miss O'Neil came down to celebrate Leonardo's recovery. It was a great celebration, and we all had a good time. I want to thank you, Master Yoshi, for helping Leonardo to recover. I truly believe your spirit guided him to get well.

A/N: Phew! I'm finally finished with this chapter. I don't know when the next chapter will be up, but I hope it'll be soon. I hope to get it finished tonight and then I'll work on chapter ten. I want to try and get a few chapters done at a time so updates will be more frequent, so if you don't hear from me for a little while, that's why. Feel free to review to let me know what you thought of it. Have a shelltastic day.


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